Harness for artificial arms



June 18, 1929. w. c. VRADENBURG HARNESS FOR ARTIFICIAL ARMS Filed July 3, 1928 17mingwvewto'a MI. ayradenfiury Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES r HARNESS FOR ARTIFICIAL ARMS.

Application filed July 3, 1928. Serial No. 290,187.

This invention relates to harness for an artificial arm and more particularly for use in connection with an artificial arm of atype to be applied to a stump amputated at or above the elbow, and it is an object of the invention to provide a harness of this kind in cluding a limb encircling member associated with a shoulder encircling web whereby the working efficiency of an applied artificial arm is materially increased.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a harness for an artificial arm comprising a construction or assembly whereby the strain imposed upon the artificial arm is transmitted to the lower portion of the torso or lower limb of the person and in a manner to relieve the armpit against undue strain which would be liable to be imposed thereon by the shoulder encircling web or member.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved harness for an artificial arm whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a view in perspective illustrating a harness constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention in applied position and viewed from the rear, the associated portion of the human body and applied artificial arm being diagrammatically indicated by broken lines;

Figure 2 is a view in edge elevation of the upper or shank portion of the limb encircling member as comprised in the harness;

Figure 3 is a View in front elevation of the structure as illustrated in Figure 2.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing, S denotes a shoulder encircling member which constitutes an elongated strap or web returned upon itself to provide a loop 1 adapted to be disposed around the shoulder of the person remote from the amputated arm.' The strands 2 of the strap or member are disposed in crossed relation at the back of the wearer with the downwardly disposed strand being detachably engaged, as atB,

with the inside portion of the socket 4 (indi-.

' arm and is extended downwardly and detachably connected, as at 5, to the socket 4 at a point substantially diametrically opposed to the connection 3. The manner in which the connect-ions 3 and 5 are effected forms no particular part of the present invention and it is also to be understood that the location of such connections will be at points desired.

With the use of the member or web S alone it is a natural. tendency for the strain imposed upon the artificial arm to closely bind in the armpit remote from the applied artificial arm or the pit of the arm which is disposed through the loop 1 hereinbefore referred to. In order to eliminate this disadvantage and also to materially increase the efficiency of the applied arm, and more particularly under the influence of load imposed thereon, I provide a loop member 6 adapted to encircle the lower limb of the person to the side of the body remote from the amputated arm and which loop extends upwardly and outwardly on a predetermined incline to engage the limb at approximately the crotch. The opposite end portion of this loop is continued by a shank 7, the outer or free end portion ofwhich carrying a fixed D -loop 801' itsequivalent through which the portion of the member or web S at the lower part of the loop 1 is freely inserted, said portion 9 being preferably substantially round in cross section as is also the portion 10 of the loop 6 which has contact with the inner side portion of the limb with which the loop 6 is associated.

By the assembly of the harness as hereinbefore set forth and as illustrated in Figure 1, it will be noted that the load carried by the applied arm 4 will be transmitted to the upper portion of the limb of the person or to the lower portion of the torso at the correr spending side'of the body. This results in the applied artificial arm being used in connection with relatively heavy work and more especially lifting.

In the present embodiment of my invention the loop 6 and shank 7 are formed from a singj le length of web or kindred flexible material having one free end portion a returned to overlie the portion of the member or web immediately adjacent thereto and to extend between the opposite free end portion 6 of such member or web. By this arrangement, as is clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the shank 7 comprises three thicknesses of material connected one to the other by the rivets 11 or otherwise as may be preferred while the portion 0 at the inner part of the portion a constitutes a loop which interlocks with the loop 8 hereinbefore referred to.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a harness for an artificial arm constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and I formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed I claim:

1. A harness for use in connection with an artificial arm comprising an elongated member formed intern'iediate its ends with a loop adapted to encircle the shoulder farthest from the artificial arm, one end portion of the loop being adapted to pass over the shoulder nearest the arm, the extremities of the member being attachable to the applied artificial arm, a member adapted to encircle a lower limb farthest from the artificial arm and provided with an elongated shank which extends up along the torso toward the loop of the first member, and means for freely connecting the free extremity of the shank with the portion of the first named member comprised in the lower part of the shoulder encircling loop.

2. A harness for use in connect-ion with an artificial arm comprising an elongated member formed intern'iediate its ends with a loop adapted to encircle the shoulder farthest from the artificial arm, one end portion of the loop being adapted to pass over the shoulder nearest the arm, tl e extremities of the member being attachable to the applied artificial arm, a member adapted to encircle a lower limb farthest from the artificial arm and provided with an elongated shank which extends up along the torso toward the loop of the first member, means for freely connecting the free extremity of the shank with the portion of the first names member comprised in the lower part of the shoulder encircling loop, said limb encircling loop and shank being formed from a single lengthof material, one end portion of said length being returned to overlie the adjacent portion of the length, the opposite free end portion of the length being disposed along said returned portion, and means for connecting said overlying portions.

3. A harness for use in connection with an artificial arm comprising an elongated member formed intermediate its ends with awl'oop adapted to encircle the shoulder farthest from the artificial arm, one end portion of the loop being adapted to pass over the shoulder nearest the arm, the extremities ofthe member being attachable to the applied artificial arm,

a member adapted to encircle a lower limb farthest from the artificial arm and provided with an elongated shank which extends up along the torso toward the loop of the first member, and a rigid loop carried by theouter portion of the shank freely engageable with the lower part of the shoulder encircling loop of the first member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

VVILBUR C. VRADENBURG. 

